Leon Black’s Slow Burn
Summary
Bill Cohan discusses his new book, *Money to Burn*, which chronicles the rise of Apollo Global Management and the controversial relationship between co-founder Leon Black and Jeffrey Epstein. Cohan details how Black paid Epstein $158 million for financial advice, a scandal that contributed to Black’s 2021 resignation amid personal affairs and board tensions. The episode also addresses criticism from New York Times reporters who alleged Cohan had a deal with Black, which he denies, asserting that Black spoke voluntarily on the record.
Topics discussed
Intro: Leon Black, Epstein, and the new book
Welcome and book overview
Why Bill Cohan chose to write about Leon Black
Apollo's origins and early French-backed deals
Wealth, art collections, and sports team ownership
The falling out between Black and Harris
Sponsor break: Office Ladies podcast
Return: The Epstein payment controversy
The Decker report and the $158M payment
Resignation triggered by the Ganyeva affair
Why Black befriended Epstein and the trust issue
Epstein's emails and the 2017 cutoff
NYT reporters' criticism of the book
Closing remarks and credits
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